Word of Mouth

Entertainment Showcase

Word of Mouth is coming back with 'a Filipino Special - Part 2'. For all who haven't heard yet, WOM is a monthly showcase focused on R&B, hip hop, neo soul artists and poets. It gets bigger by the second, with every word that spreads, gathering an impressive collection of class talent and creating a night that can honestly be described as a true representative of where British Filipinos in the Arts are heading..

A night not to be missed.. WOM at Oh Bar, Camden Hight Street 10pm

Hear what Ronnie had to say about Word of Mouth...

How did the idea of WOM come about?

WOM started in 2005, a time when there weren’t many showcases for unsigned artists. 

If I couldn’t find one to perform in, I'll start one of my own. I knew a lot of people who were recording music and thought I might be able to find a market for this product.

What pushed you to do it and how did you get started?

I had booked G Lounge to host my birthday and found it wasn't hard to set up or that expensive. Two months later I hired G lounge again for the first WOM, and having been holding it every month.

What other interests do you have?

Before music, my first passion is basketball. I started playing when I was 9, at the age of 16 I was playing for the England squad. I was awarded MVP in 2005 KAPIS league (The London Filipino League) and led my team to become champions. As I built up my status and contacts within the basketball community I saw that the filipino league I was playing in was operated by people that didn't know about the game and just saw it as a business. I felt that I could run a better more organised league that would be fair and not so expensive. It's still a working progress but hopefully it will be up and running by the summer.

I also intend to hold raves with my friend and colleague, Althea, creator of Raw Magazine (a free urban magazine focused on unsigned artists)

What challenges have made you stronger?

Representing England in Basketball, I would always play with the best in the UK . I was always a foot smaller than everyone else. People use to underestimate me or tell me I'm too small. I like proving people wrong. I guess that just stuck with me in life and gave me that competitive drive.

How would you describe the music scene? Is there a place for a Filipino face? 

The hip hop & R&B scene in this country is growing. Everyone is an artist now which is good for WOM but makes it harder for those with real talent. You have to sift through hundreds to find a good act. It doesn't matter if you're a filipino or not, you can't deny talent. It would be nice to see more filipinos out there.

How strongly do you feel about the Filipino talent in the UK ?

To be honest I haven't seen too much talent in terms of artists or performers. We might say they're good because they're within our community but if you compare them too the rest of the world, we got a lot of work to do, myself included. I have come across a couple of talented filipino beat makers such as Mr soundz, Jun Jun and Josh. Also The resident DJ at WOM, Rondizzle is known for moving crowds with his skills and not forgetting a serious R&B singer named Chelo whom is no stranger to performing at WOM.

What were you doing 6 months ago?

6 months ago, I was holding shows at G Lounge. It was a smaller venue so it got really packed and I felt that it was time to find a bigger venue. A year ago, I was trying to understand the business and how can I make it better for the performers, the audience and how to give the bar more business.

What do you feel when you’re on stage hosting / performing?

Nervous but excited, after a year of doing it you start to feel comfortable. I just enjoy it. After you come off stage you want to go on again.